On the 4th of July
Trijntje Oosterhuis Lyrics


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Shall I tell it again how we started as friends
Who would run into one another now and again
At the Yippee Cai O or the Mesa Dupree
Or a dozen different everyday places to be

I was loping along living alone
We were ever so brave on the telephone
Would you care to come down for fireworks time
We could each just reach
We could step out of line

And the smell of the smoke and the lay of the land
And the feeling of finding one's heart in one's hand
And the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing
Love must stand
Love forever and ever must stand

Unbelievable you, impossible me
The fool who fell out of the family tree
And the fellow that found the philosopher's stone
Deep underground like a dinosaur bone

Who fell into you at a quarter to two
With a tear in your eye for the 4th of July
For the patriots and the minutemen
And the things you believe they believed in then

Such as freedom, and freedom's land
And the kingdom of God and the rights of man
With the tiny tin voice of the radio band
Singing love must stand
Love forever and ever must stand
And forever must stand

Oh the smell of the smoke as we lay on the land
And the feeling of finding my heart in my hand
With the tiny, tin voice of the radio band
Singing love must stand
Love forever and ever must stand




On the 4th of July
On the 4th of July

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Trijntje Oosterhuis's song On The 4th Of July tell a story of two friends who, after running into each other several times, decide to spend the 4th of July together. The song describes the feeling of finding one's heart in one's hand as the two friends spend time together, watch fireworks, and listen to the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing about the importance of love, freedom, and the rights of man.


The first verse of the song sets the scene for the listener, describing how the two friends used to run into each other at various places around town. The second verse then goes into detail about the two friends spending time together on the 4th of July, enjoying the fireworks and each other's company. The third verse then takes a more philosophical turn, touching on the ideas of freedom, the kingdom of God, and the rights of man. Throughout the song, the theme of love standing the test of time and being forever present is emphasized.


Overall, the lyrics to On The 4th Of July paint a picture of a nostalgic and romantic evening, filled with the sounds and smells of a summer night. The song's message of love and freedom resonates strongly with listeners, making it a powerful and enduring piece of music.


Line by Line Meaning

Shall I tell it again how we started as friends
Should I recount the story of how we initially became friends?


Who would run into one another now and again
We would encounter each other intermittently


At the Yippee Cai O or the Mesa Dupree
We would see each other at various places, such as Yippee Cai O or the Mesa Dupree


Or a dozen different everyday places to be
We frequented many different everyday locations


I was loping along living alone
I was living life lazily and independently


We were ever so brave on the telephone
We had courageous conversations over the telephone


Would you care to come down for fireworks time
Do you want to join me for fireworks?


We could each just reach
We were geographically close


We could step out of line
We could deviate from the norm


And the smell of the smoke and the lay of the land
The aroma of smoke and the scenery were overpowering


And the feeling of finding one's heart in one's hand
The sensation of discovering the true depths of one's emotions


And the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing
The modest sound of the radio band's voice humming


Love must stand
Love shall endure


Love forever and ever must stand
Love must last for eternity


Unbelievable you, impossible me
You are incredible, and I am implausible


The fool who fell out of the family tree
I am the fool who was excluded from the family tree


And the fellow that found the philosopher's stone
I am the individual who discovered the philosopher's stone


Deep underground like a dinosaur bone
Buried deep beneath the earth, similar to a dinosaur bone


Who fell into you at a quarter to two
Who crashed into you at 12:45 am


With a tear in your eye for the 4th of July
With a teardrop rolling down your face on Independence Day


For the patriots and the minutemen
For the patriots and soldiers of the American Revolution


And the things you believe they believed in then
And the concepts you believe they adhered to at that time


Such as freedom, and freedom's land
Liberation and the Land of the Free


And the kingdom of God and the rights of man
The sovereignty of God and the privileges of humanity


Oh the smell of the smoke as we lay on the land
The fragrance of smoke as we reclined on the ground


And the feeling of finding my heart in my hand
The sensation of discovering one's innermost feelings


Singing love must stand
Singing of the need for love to persevere


Love forever and ever must stand
Love must stand forever and ever


On the 4th of July
On Independence Day


On the 4th of July
On Independence Day




Contributed by James A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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